Improvement in freight-oaks



` STEPHENWDOWNEY aMPHovEMENTm FREIGHT CARS ww mm. w WM @A w@ Mm mn. J Ma l u q WH M d i I fm J Q 2- 7% Zyl a flu. t :iid n @uiten tates atat @fittizi STEPHEN W. DoWNnY, 0F PIEDMoNr WEST VIRGINIA. Letters Patent No. 73,308, dated January 14, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN PRBIGHTGABS.-

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, STEPHEN W. DOWNEY, of Piedmont, Mineral county, State of West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Freight-Cars, for the transportation of coal and other like articles; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, making part of this specication, in which- Figure 1 is an interior' plan view with the sectional' top left open.

Figure 2 is atop view.

Figure if is a side sectional View.

p It is a well-known fact that grain is often, and coal invariably, transported in uncovered cars. u This plan has always been considered objectionable, but thc articles mentioned are usually discharged into the car by means of chutes or other equivalent devices, which seemed to require that the'top should belcft perfectly free, so that no obstruction should intervene to prevent the proper and rapid loading ofthe car.

My invention consists in attaching to the Winans metallic hopper-car, orv any other uncovered car, a hinged top or roof, so arranged that when desired, thevtop of the car can instantly be thrown open, for the purpose of loading and unloading, the roof being constructed in sections, falling along the horizontal sides of the car, and in no`manner .impeding the operation offreighting and unfreighting the same.

rlhe cover or roof I construct in two or more sections, and attach the same to the car by means of an ordinary hinge, or by means of metal clasps lapped around arod or railing, which is rmlysecured to the upper -portion of the car, and around which the .sections of the coveror roof can readily revolve, so that when desired they can be thrown in a position along the side of the car, thus leaving the entire top of the carl open and as free of access as are the uncovered cars now in general, and, indeed, universal use. The top or root` -I construct in two or moreparts or sections, and they may he either straight or concave, and so formed that when in position there will be a gentleascent from the side toward the centre of the car. These parts or sections may be made of metal or any other suitable material, and meet lover the centre of the car, and can there be securelyfastened by means et' hasp and staple, or other equivalent device.

The great advantage ofmy invention is found in the fact that the load is entirely protected from the weather, and is also securely guarded against the continual plfering, which is now so extensively practised on the uncovered vand consequently unprotected .car now in general use. I

i To enable others skilled in the artto make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construel tion and operation.

A represents the body of the car,'or cars made of sheet metal or any other suitable material, in the form of a frustum of a hollow cone, with its upper part, a,`cylindrical. In the lower portion of the cone there is an opening, b, by which the load can be discharged when desired. This opening?) can be securely` closed by a movable hottompc. The body of the cai- A, I attach to "a truck, B, in the usual manner. C is an iron rod or railing, which is firmly secured to the side ofthe car by means of suitable metal strips, cl d. These metal strips extend suciently far from the side of the car to allowot` a space being left between said side and the rod or rail, to permit ofthe free revolving of the sections which constitute the roof or top ofthe car. D are plates or sheets of metal .or other suitable material. These plates or sheets of metal maybe either straight or slightly concave in form, andere so arranged that when in the position shown in g. 3, they furnish a perfect and secure top or roof for the car, and one which is slightly angular in form. To these plates or sheets D D, I securely attach metal strips e e. These metal strips .arelapped around the rod or rail C, 'and act on the principle ofthe ordinary hinge-joint, by means of-which, when occasion requires for the purpose of loading and unloading the car, the same can be readily uncovered and loaded from the top with the same facility that the open lcar is now loaded, the top plates falling to a horizontal position along'the sideot` the car, as shown in iig. 1. fis a hasp, andf is a staple, which enables me, ley-means of thelock g, to securely fasten the car, and thus not only pros tect the freight from the action ofthe weather, but also guard the same against all that class of depredations which are now so common. 7L is a chain, by means of which the lock can be securely attached to the top,.D, or any other portion of the car, Another great advan tagevof the arrangement of the rod C is, that when the com ductor or brtleman is compelledvto go to the-rezar of the train while the same is-in motion,v he cansaffely pass along the ledge, on the lower side of the car, the rod 0r rail C furnishing him-a. firm hand-hold and secure support. TheA great advantage of my inventon'is found in itssimplicity of construction and in its practical utility. There is not an open car now in use but to which it can readily be as'pplied, securing to thc freight,4 when the same is loaded, in crery particular, the'protection which is now afforded by the close-househor express-car.-

Havingthus' fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire'to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, is- .A I v The construction and arrangement of the h ingedtop or roof, in combinetion with the'car A aand rail or rod C, when the same are constructed and arranged substantially 'as described, andfor the 'purpose specified.

In testimony whereof, I have'eigned 'my name to this specification in the presence of twb subscribing witnesses.

STEPHEN W'. DOWNEY.

Witnesses:

4JOHN D. BLooR, JOHN S. HoLLvINGsHEADn 

